New Delhi: For the longest serving governor of Jammu and Kashmir to not have an opinion on the Union government’s move to read down Article 370 and bifurcate the state into two union territories is a little surprising.
At an event on Monday, N.N. Vohra, governor of the conflict-ridden state from 2008 to 2018, not only chose to remain tight-lipped about the Centre’s measures but also stayed silent on the month-long lockdown of the state.
Vohra was the chief guest at the launch of the paperback edition of The Story of Kashmir by journalist-academic David Devadas on Monday. Devadas’s book is a comprehensive account of how Kashmir was impacted by a series of geo-political events from 1930 to 2018.
In the conversations following the panel discussion on Kashmir, quite a few in the audience requested him to share his assessment regarding the impact the lockdown following the dilution of Article 370 would have on the state.
But Vohra did not reply to any of the questions and left other panelists to answer.
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While launching the book, however, he pointed out what he thought are critical gaps in books and analyses on Kashmir. ”The role of external factors in Kashmir has not been dealt with greatly. The spectre of Pakistan has had a lot of impact on the Valley,” he said.
He went on to speak about Pakistan’s role in emboldening its intelligence agency ISI and promoting infiltration into Kashmir. “Ever since the beginning of a proxy war in 1990, the lives of ordinary Kashmiris, especially in the Valley, have been shattered by successive developments. This has compelled the Indian establishment to invest vast resources there,” he said.
“Whatever the Valley had to go through in the past has caused much damage to the future of the youth and social fabric of Kashmir,” he said, adding that “the youth of the Valley was affected by factors totally beyond their control.”
A reporter asked Vohra, “What do you think the role of the governor is in a turmoil-ridden state like Kashmir?”
The former IAS-turned governor did not reply.
He also refused to reply another question about the month-long lockdown in Kashmir.
The Wire asked him about the impact recent developments in Kashmir may have on the psyche of the people there. That too went unanswered.
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Vohra also remained unaffected by a story that a Kashmiri student narrated at the event. “I have a habit of studying in the night. But I was forced to move out of Kashmir as my mother fears that the military may barge into our house if the lights are on,” he said.
“Only because I could afford to pay for my travel, I came out. But what happens to all those who are forced to live in Kashmir at present?” he asked, adding that Kashmiri people feel betrayed by the Centre’s actions.
M.K. Raina, a renowned theatre personality who is from Kashmir, concurred with the view. He said that the Centre’s unilateral actions have alienated even those who sided with India and considered themselves as Indians.